HAS guarantees a minimum service package to patients in the community, including but not limited to adult and pediatric primary care consultations, pre- and post-natal care, nutrition treatment and screening, vaccinations, and family planning services. With these important services, we aim to provide basic healthcare to approximately 117,000 people.
One major component of this service package is prenatal care, crucial for reducing the risk of maternal mortality. All pregnant women are encouraged to come to a dispensary or mobile clinic at least once, but ideally three or more times, during the course of a pregnancy. Regular prenatal consultations can help detect, treat, and even prevent common problems causing maternal morbidity and mortality. Dispensary clinicians are trained to catch the warning signs of a pregnancy complication, in which case the patient would be referred to the main hospital, which specializes in high-risk obstetrics.
Clautide lives near the Hôpital Albert Schweitzer Haiti (HAS) community health center in Deschapelles, Haiti. This is her first pregnancy. Thanks to encouragement from her HAS community health worker, she is adhering to a prenatal care plan including regular screenings at the health center and taking vitamins/supplements including iron (folic acid), Vitamin A, and prenatal vitamins. She recently came in for her third visit, and left happy. “The nurses say that everything is normal,” she beams. “I keep coming to the dispensary and taking the vitamins to be certain that everything stays fine.” Clautide is one of about 800 women who will receive a prenatal consultation at their nearest HAS community health center or mobile clinic this month.